


Here

by orphan_account



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, OT9 Sadness, Tao-Related Sadness, This is Bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 15:53:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10834470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "I know I can’t turn back a promise that I’ve already brokenBut I want to live and breathe next to you for all my lifeI pray that you’ll be happy like you were in the beginning"Promise, Exo





	Here

**Author's Note:**

> This is word vomit and stupid and bad. Read with caution.
> 
> I am an old writer who used to be active in a bunch of different fandoms. I havent written in years but i've been wanting to get back into it and have been reading exo fics for a while. Please be patient with this as it is the first thing i've written in a LONG time and i also wrote the majority of it in the middle of the night.
> 
> Heavily inspired by the song Promise by Exo. As in, some of the lines are copied directly from it.

“Family meeting. Living room. Now”

Kyungsoo didn’t exactly sound thrilled as he carried the news throughout the exo dorm. No one could blame him however, when this was the third family meeting they were having this week. Or was it the fourth?

Jongin sighed from his spot on the bed, cross-legged and leaning against Sehun’s shoulder. The dancers had just returned from their second practice session of the day and had been content to just lie together and talk for the rest of the night until their leader called _another_ family meeting. The elder of the two moved first, pulling the maknae to his feet behind him. Sehun let his body go limp in Jongin’s arms, comfortable and relaxed, with his chin hooked on the other’s shoulder. Jongin giggled softly and shoved the younger off him. Sometimes when Sehun would do this, Jongin would carry the boy around like a child. He was too tired today.

The beagle line were already waiting in the living room for everyone else. Chanyeol was spread out as much as he could on the couch, his long limbs dangling off the edges and looking just as exhausted as the boy attached to them. Baekhyun was curled up in his lap, sat up slightly and leaning into his chest. The smaller boy wasn’t quite tall enough to blanket his younger bandmate, instead his body seemed to fit easily into the folds of the other’s. Chanyeol had a relaxed arm wrapped loosely over the elder’s shoulder. To the naked eye, it would seem like the limb had found itself there on its own, but the parties in question knew it had a purpose. The strong weight reminded the elder of the two to stay with them, that he was here. Jongdae was sat on the floor with his back against the couch, his knees curled against his chest and his chin tucked into his arms. His eyes were closed and one would almost think he was asleep, but occasionally the smallest of noises would escape the still figure when Baekhyun’s free hand would reach down to brush through his hair.

The maknae line snuck in first, Sehun taking his spot on the large armchair by himself and Jongin settling onto the floor next to Jongdae. The dancer pressed his face into his hyung’s shoulder first, but sat back up with the arrival of Kyungsoo, who took the spot next to Jongin immediately. Though he made no acknowledgement of the younger, the fact that the singer didn’t throw Jongin’s newly-placed arm off of his own shoulder would be a dead give-away to anyone who knew the pair that Kyungsoo was happiest here, in Jongin’s arms.

Minseok and Yixing were the next to arrive, Minseok leading the Chinese man by the hand. Yixing looked like a cross between lost and asleep, his gaze trained carefully at the floor and his body limp at Minseok’s pull. The eldest gently guided Yixing to the armchair that Sehun was now standing in front of and gently pushed his tired body into the soft cushions. Immediately, Sehun sat back down in the chair, carefully spreading his weight across the elder’s lap and laying his head on his shoulder. As if by habit, Yixing wrapped one arm under Sehun’s shoulders and another resting against his butt, the first sign of unguided movement by the elder. Sehun nuzzled his hyung’s neck softly. Minseok smiled fondly at the pair and leaned against the wall behind the couch, content to be able to watch over all of his groupmates.

Joonmyun was the last to appear in the now crowded living room, whispering quietly on his cell phone. His body slumped into the armchair opposite of Sehun’s as if the weight of the world was pushing him down. The leader leaned forward, pinching the bridge of his nose in his hands. As irritated as they all were with the continued family meetings, it broke the other members’ hearts to see their leader so tired, so worn out. Jongdae whined softly and reached towards his leader, who smiled sadly at the extended hand before gently pushing it back towards its owner.

After a few beats of silence, Joonmyun finished the phone call and dropped his gaze into his lap. The others waited for him to speak. The leader looked nervous; he opened his mouth for a moment, only to close it again, as if he was afraid to say what he was thinking… what he knew he had to say. He tried again.

“Zitao is filing his lawsuit tomorrow.”

Someone inhaled sharply. Sehun groaned and buried his face further into Yixing’s neck. Baekhyun sat up from the couch, anger burning on his face as he looked like he was contemplating how exactly to get the aforementioned ex-bandmate into his hands. Kyungsoo’s eyes opened from where they were resting peacefully closed. The rage in them was terrifyingly clear, but he said nothing. There was another beat of silence, before the damn broke.

“He’s not even going to wait until the comeback is over?” Jongin asked first, the dancer’s normally dark eyes were wide and soft with fear.

“I can’t believe this… I can’t believe him,” Baekhyun mumbled, slumping back and seemingly deciding to stay in Chanyeol’s lap after-all. The latter began rubbing his hyung’s back softly.

Jongdae spoke up from his own spot on the floor, “I wouldn’t expect any less from him to be honest,” The singer whimpered a soft, empty laugh before he spat, “On sns he’s making his _dad_ take the blame. How fucking pathetic.”

“Dae…” Minseok warned from behind the couch. The disappointment in the eldest’s voice was apparent, but Jongdae wondered whether he was disappointed in him or Zitao.

Joonmyun sighed but remained silent, letting his bandmates get their opinions out first.

­“That’s not fair!” Yixing spoke slowly from his spot beneath Sehun. “His father really did make him leave, he wanted to stay with us. He was hurt.”

“So he could have worked with SM for a break or something!” Jongdae shot back. “Did he not love us enough to at least try?” He narrowed his eyes and spat at the Chinese man.

This seemed to cause the biggest reaction. Yixing sucked in a breath, like he had just been punched in the stomach. Joonmyun closed his eyes.

“Hey!” Chanyeol and Minseok growled at the same time. Chanyeol continued, “That’s not cool, Jongdae. He loves us, don’t second guess that.”

Baekhyun seemed to be offended that his couch-mate was taking the opposite side as him. The smaller boy sat up again and this time scooted slightly away from his friend, placing his hand on his chest. “Don’t defend him! How could he do this to us!” A little quieter, “How could any of them do this to us…”

Chanyeol’s eyes grew impossibly wide with panic and he quickly wrapped his arms around Baekhyun’s waist, stopping the singer’s escape from his spot in his lap. Baekhyun froze in his spot but didn’t move back. The pair stared at each other, communicating a silent conversation in each other’s gazes before Baekhyun’s face softened and he moved back into Chanyeol’s hold. Chanyeol wrapped his arms tightly around the elder’s shoulders and pressed him further into his chest. Baekhyun sighed and tucked his head under Chanyeol’s chin, his voice barely above a whisper, “He should understand how much this hurts.”

The room was silent after this. For an eternity, nobody spoke. The air was stiff and as silent as the boys within it. Yixing had taken to petting Sehun’s butt softly, an action that usually comforted the younger. Jongin still had his arm around Kyungsoo’s shoulders but from an onlooker’s perspective it looked like Kyungsoo was supporting Jongin more than the other way around. His usually hard eyes were soft as they looked worriedly at his younger bandmate. Jongin was staring blankly at nothing in front of him, his eyes absent and his lips pressed into a firm line. Kyungsoo leaned his head back gently onto Jongin’s shoulder, knocking him slightly and bringing him out of his trance. Without a word, Jongin leaned his own cheek against the smaller’s forehead, closing his eyes and letting out a tiny sigh. Kyungsoo watched his best friend sadly, wanting nothing more than to brush the sadness off his face.

Jongdae huffed angrily and stood up from his spot on the floor. He began to stomp towards his own room and Joonmyun opened his mouth to call out to him, their family meeting still not over, but Minseok reached him first. The eldest grabbed the singer’s wrist and pulled slightly, halting Jongdae’s escape. Carefully, Minseok wrapped his arms around the other’s waist in a back hug, kissing the base of Jongdae’s neck as gently as he could. The younger let out a sigh before turning in his hyung’s arms and pressing his face into the side of Minseok’s neck. Minseok smiled sadly, rubbing his fingers up and down Jongdae’s spine softly in order to comfort the other. He whispered softly, so that none of the others could hear. “It’s okay, baby… I’m here.”

At this, the leader decided it was time to speak up. Joonmyun stood up from his spot in the chair and glanced around the room at his bandmates. The love he felt for these eight boys overwhelmed his heart; Joonmyun swallowed the tightness in his throat and stared intensely at the floor.

“I know…” He began quietly, “It seems like everything’s all over again… That we can’t… that we can’t pick up from here and keep going. We’ve broken a promise… a promise that we’ve made over and over again to each other and to the fans.”

Yixing looked up from his lap at his leader and felt his heart crack at the weight he was so visibly carrying on his shoulders.

Joonmyun continued. “I can’t comfort you… I can’t… I can’t tell you it’s going to get better… that we can move on… I am trying to give everything I have…” A lone tear escaped the leader’s eyes. “I love you all so much, I’m-” A tiny sob escaped his throat. “I’m so sorry… I know those words aren’t enough.”

The pain of seeing their leader cry was overwhelming. Baekhyun’s grip in Chanyeol’s shirt tightened impossibly more; he blinked fiercely to keep his own tears from escaping. Sehun shook his head against Yixing’s chest, the youngest was so close to the leader… everyone knew how much this must hurt their maknae… to see Joonmyun so upset. Minseok and Jongdae pulled apart from their embrace and moved to comfort their leader, Minseok brushing his hand through the back of Joonmyun’s hair while Jongdae gently whipped away the rogue tears with his thumb. Jongin shook gently against Kyungsoo’s frame, struggling to hold completely still himself.

Despite the majority of the members now crying, Joonmyun pressed on. “I can’t think about the fans… how-” his breath hitched and Jongdae kissed his forehead lightly, pressing him to continue. “-how they must be feeling… I can’t imagine it. I don’t want to lose them… I love them so much.”

“We all do.” Yixing spoke up from the chair across the room. Sehun whined in agreement.

Joonmyun nodded but kept his gaze trained at the floor. The room was silent for a long time before he spoke again, “I know it’s hard… I know we’re all so tired… but I am going to go out on that stage again.” The leader’s voice was firm as he spoke, “I am going to give them everything I can… and I’m going to be there for them, and you all.

“Please believe me… I love you all so much.” For the first time in his speech, Joonmyun looked up to meet the eyes of his members. “I am going to be here for you, I am going to listen to you, and I am going to try so hard. I will give you everything I have. You are in so much pain right now… and I will hold you all through all of it.

“I promise you.”

Yixing, Chanyeol and Jongin were all sobbing now. Sehun stood up out of Yixing’s lap and nearly ran into Joonmyun’s arms. The youngest buried his face into the leader’s chest, slouching awkwardly in order to make up for the height difference. Baekhyun stood up out of Chanyeol’s lap and walked over to the chair where Yixing was now sitting alone. He took the Chinese man’s hand in his own and gently pulled him back to his own couch whose three occupants curled around each other in a mess of limbs and tears. Jongdae brushed a hand through Jongin’s hair, who was now shaking uncontrollably in Kyungsoo’s arms and nearly convulsing on the floor with his own sobs. It was quiet for a while, before someone finally spoke.

“We promise you too hyung.”

It was Sehun who whispered the words so quietly into Joonmyun’s chest that it was barely heard at all. A few whimpers of agreement could be heard around the room. Yixing spoke up next.

“We are here. We aren’t going anywhere.”

At this, the floodgates seemed to open and Joonmyun collapsed onto the floor in a pile of Sehun and Jongdae’s arms. His sobs ripped through the hearts of his members, mourning the loss of their 3rd bandmate… the pain that they were going to be causing their fans… the burden that their leader was forced to carry. Soon, the couch line joined the rest of the members on the floor and Joonmyun could no longer breathe through the tangle of bodies that surrounded him, warm and safe.

Here.

Joonmyun phone rang, and from his spot next to the leader, Minseok could see their manager’s caller ID flash up on the screen. Before the leader could move to grab for the phone, the eldest snatched it from his reach and declined the call. Right now, this was their time for each other. Right now, Joonmyun was not their leader and they were not EXO-M or EXO-K.

Right now, they were family. And they were going to be okay.

“I promise you.”


End file.
